A Dream, One Dance, The Mask
by Kage-Ichihashi
Summary: [ONE SHOT] It all happened too fast... She saved his life... In her remaining minutes, they discuss dreams, requests, and promises...


**"A Dream, One Dance, The Mask"**

_by: Kage-Ichihashi_

A Naruto One-Shot

**Rating: K+ for Death and Safety Precautions**

**Disclaimer:** _I do NOT own any characters used in this One-Shot. All characters copyright Masashi Kishimoto; All rights reserved._

**Author's Note:** _Please forgive me if any of my facts are wrong. All my information is mainly from fansites and/or Wikipedia articles._

* * *

_He stood readied on the battlefield. If anything, he was ready to die fighting. He stood strong as he stared into the eyes of the demon, but it all happened too fast. The blast came at him before he realized what happened. But as he felt himself flying through the air after staring into the fire, he heard a voice scream, "KAKASHI! WATCH OUT!"_

He caught his breath in a matter of seconds, and he quickly realized what happened. His life had been saved. But he dreaded the thought of who had saved it. He scrambled to his feet as one of the ninja in command screamed to the others, "Lead him away from the children! They're taking too much of a risk!"

"Rin! Rin!" he called desperately. He spotted the girl with brown hair lying on the ground, much of her skin was burnt, and her hair was scorched shorter. "RIN!" He ran to her body, begging for her to be alive – praying for her to still be living. "Rin."

Her head turned to look at him with a small smile. "Kakashi-kun… You're okay…" she said, her voice weaker than it had ever been before.

"Why'd you go and do that?" he asked, forcing the intimidating tears back.

The smile did not leave her face, and she softly touched his masked cheek with her blistered hand. "I had to…"

"No you didn't!" he protested firmly, tears still threatening to spill, but he took her hand and held it as though she were going to float away from him at any given moment.

"Yes, Kakashi-kun… I did… I had to die to save you…"

"Don't say that! You're still alive! You're not gonna die!"

"Don't deny the inevitable…" Her voice droned with elderly wisdom, and he began to shake. "I will die…"

"No! NO! I lost Obito! I can't lose you too!" The tears were turning their eyes bloodshot.

"I'm sorry… But you must live…"

"I should be the one dying! Not you! I-"

"You are to live, Kakashi-kun…"

"Who are you to tell me whether I live or die?" he snapped unintentionally, and then he choked on the lump in his throat.

She gave him the chance to cry, but he didn't take it, so she continued, "Kakashi-kun…"

"Kakashi. Just. Kakashi…" he whispered.

"Kakashi," she said softer and with a brighter smile. "I had a dream the other night… I knew I would die…"

"You're not going to die!" he cried, but this time, he was more begging her to not to die rather than telling her she wasn't.

"Kakashi. Listen to me… The dream was about you… Your future… You must live…" She wheezed once but urged herself to continue. "Three students… Just like us… _Just_ like us… A boy…with a tragic past… An avenger. A girl…who reminds me of myself in every way… And another boy… With the choice to destroy all…or give life to… You will be one of the many influences on his decision… And I fear…that without you…the three of them will not live… Therefore, it is my dying wish…Hatake Kakashi…that you stay alive…to be there for them…" Her voice sounded so distant, so soothing, so knowing…so…old.

There was silence as Kakashi thought about what she said more and more, and the tears finally began to recede behind his eyes. "Rin…" he whispered.

"Yes, Kakashi?" she asked, staring at his eye and Obito's.

"You're sure you're going to die?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. I am more than sure."

"Then…I have a request for you…"

"All right," she said curiously, and he looked at her to see her look younger and more like he'd once knew her. He turned away to prevent any tears that might have come. "What is it?"

He hesitated. "…When you…see Obito… Give him… Would you give him… one dance? It's…what he really would want… I know it…"

Rin looked shocked for a moment, but then she smiled calmly. "Of course," she answered.

There was another silence. She wanted to hold on a little longer. For what, she knew not what, but she had the feeling that when the time came, she would know. "Kakashi…"

"Yes?" he asked, still not looking at her.

"I…have always wondered why I liked you…" she began, and then she wheezed once more. "…Now…as I lie here awaiting Death…I know… Only a true man would ask…for a girl to dance with a friend…"

Kakashi closed his eyes. "Thank you…" he managed to mutter, for he was clueless as to what else he could have said in reply.

She sighed faintly, but it was not her last breath.

"I…have always wondered…what is…beneath your mask…" she said tentatively after a short silence. "…but…I understand if you do not wish to show me… if… however… you could tell me why you wear it… then… I'd like to know…"

Kakashi sat silent. "That's all right," she said softly. "I-"

"At first," he began with closed eyes; the wind picked up his silver hair ominously, "it had just been there for the matter of wearing a mask by my father… He thought it suited me… I decided to continue wearing it, for I found no reason to rid myself of it, nor wear it, for that matter… But… years later, I found my answer… I decided…when I found love…true love…they would be the first to see my entire face… So that was my reason…and was to this day… But now…I want to make an exception…"

He began to pull down his mask slowly, but before he could take the mask down past his mouth, Rin grabbed his wrist weakly. "That's enough… Don't reveal anymore… I don't want you to break such a promise to yourself…" Her voice was growing weaker by the second now, and her breathing slowed with every passing moment.

"But-" he protested in shock at her action.

"I will give Obito a thousand dances… Just don't make this exception…" she said.

"Rin…"

Her slow breathing was now nothing more than a wheeze. "Kakashi-kun… I'm sorry…"

"Rin," he said desperately.

"I will tell Obito… if he does not already know…"

"Rin!" he called to her, as he could tell that the distance between them was growing.

"Goodbye…" her voice was now quieter than the wind.

The tears finally came, and he cried, "RIN!"

Her lips moved, but there was no sound. He could only read, _I love you…_

"RIN!" he screamed, the tears spilling everywhere. The hand he held in his dropped weakly to the ground, and her skin went pale. He sobbed like a little boy, knowing that she… was… gone…

**·** **·** **·** **·** **·**

He sat on a rooftop, twelve years later, watching his students walk away to their separate homes. Even to this day, he could not believe how right Rin was.

_A boy…with a tragic past… An avenger._ Uchiha Sasuke…

_A girl…who reminds me of myself in every way…_ Haruno Sakura…

_And another boy… With the choice to destroy all… or give life to…_ Uzumaki Naruto…

He still had yet to see how he would influence them the way she said he would, but now, he believed her with everything he had.

And he knew, with all his heart, that she'd kept her promise as he'd kept his. Because even now, as the sun set over Konohagakure, he could see them as though they were there… Obito, holding her close, as they dance around and around with a soft wind blowing their hair… But she'd gone beyond her promise… For they were now… at their thousand and first dance…

* * *

Well, this is what I think happened to Rin, why Kakashi wears a mask, and what Rin and Obito are doing this very instant. I know it's really not all that great, but I really did like this. 

Kakashi: This is really odd for you, you know. Normally, you're very possessive.

Who said I wasn't possessive in this story?

Kakashi: …

Well, I'd like to know what you think. Remember, this is my opinion, not how it really is (but wouldn't that be cool if it were?).

Kakashi: -sarcastically- Yeah, it'd be like you're psychic or something.

-sigh- Oh well. You _are_ hopeless. –hugs him-

Kakashi: Ahck! That was random! Why'd you do that?

Possessiveness.

Kakashi: …


End file.
